4 June 2024

New Zealand Rugby League congratulates John McMeekan Bray and Mervyn Allen Gore for being awarded King’s Service Medals for their services to rugby league.

The King’s Service Medal is awarded by the New Zealand Government to recognise and reward volunteer service to the community, which Bray and Gore received on the occasion of His Majesty’s Birthday on Monday 3 June.

John Bray has been involved with rugby league for more than 40 years as a player and has held various roles at local and regional levels.

Bray played for Hornby Rugby League in Christchurch since age six and represented Canterbury at all levels through the early 1960s. He served as the Secretary and Treasurer of the Hornby Club, managing the schoolboys section. In 1964 Bray was made Kiwi #428 when he represented New Zealand, and served on the Wellington Rugby League Board in 1977 for two years before becoming a board member of the New Zealand Rugby League Board in 1978.

He served on the New Zealand Rugby League board for 13 years, serving as an Independent Director and Vice Chair of the board, navigating the board through enormous growth of the sport. He used his accountancy skills to help the board with audits and budgeting. He has served on the New Zealand Rugby League Museum Trust since 2005 and was Chair from 2015 to 2023 and was made a Life Member of New Zealand Rugby League in 2010.

Similarly, Allen Gore has been involved with rugby league for more than 40 years as a player before going on to hold various roles at local and regional levels.

Gore played for Otahuhu Rugby League from age 11 until retirement from playing at age 29. Upon retirement from playing, he served as Treasurer for Auckland Rugby League and lead an Auckland delegation to the New Zealand Rugby League Board. He was the Business Manager for the New Zealand Kiwis during the 1967 tour to Australia. He served as a board member of the New Zealand Rugby League Board for 20 years, holding positions of Vice Chair and Treasurer.

As a board member he has represented New Zealand at international conferences including at Leeds, Sydney and Toulon conferences. He served 18 years as a member of the New Zealand Rugby League Trust Museum Committee and is a member of the Carlaw Park Heritage Trust. Gore was made a life member of Auckland Rugby League and of New Zealand Rugby League.